Portrait of Ossie Davis

Ossie Davis

Acting

Biography

Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis (December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He may be best known for his roles in Spike Lee-directed films such as School Daze (1988) and Do the Right Thing (1989). Other films Davis acted in include The Hill (1965), A Man Called Adam (1966), Let's Do It Again (1975), Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), Grumpy Old Men (1993), The Client (1994), Dr. Dolittle (1998), Dinosaur (2000), and Bubba Ho-Tep (2002). He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, from 1948 until his death.

Born: December 18, 1917

Place of Birth: Cogdell, Georgia, USA

Filmography

2022
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

as Self (archive footage)

2005
Deacons for Defense

as Reverend 'Rev' Gregory

2004
She Hate Me

as Judge Buchanan

2004
Proud

as Lorenzo DuFau

2004
Baadasssss!

as Granddad

2004
The L Word

as Melvin Porter

2002
Bubba Ho-tep

as John F. "Jack" Kennedy

2001
Feast of All Saints

as Jean-Jacques

2001
2000
Here's to Life!

as Duncan Cox

2000
Dinosaur

as Yar (voice)

2000
Finding Buck McHenry

as Buck McHenry

1999
The Unfinished Journey

as Narrator (voice)

1999
1999
Third Watch

as Mr. Parker

1999
The Secret Path

as Too Tall

1999
A Vow to Cherish

as Alexander Billman

1998
Doctor Dolittle

as Archer Dolittle

1997
12 Angry Men

as Juror 2

1997
4 Little Girls

as Self - Actor and Playwright

1997
Miss Evers' Boys

as Mr. Evers

1997
Thomas Jefferson

as Narrator (voice)

1996
I'm Not Rappaport

as Midge Carter

1996
Get on the Bus

as Jeremiah

1996
Promised Land

as Erasmus Jones

1996
The West

as Self

1996
The West

as Self / John R. Gills (voice)

1995
JAG

as Terrence Minnerly

1995
The Client

as Judge Harry Roosevelt

1995
The Android Affair

as Dr. Winston

1994
1994
Touched by an Angel

as Erasmus Jones

1994
Baseball

as Various (voice)

1994
Baseball

as (voice)

1994
The Client

as Harry Roosevelt

1994
The Stand

as Judge Richard Farris

1994
The Stand

as Judge Richard Farris (credit only)

1993
1993
Cop & ½

as Detective in Squad Room

1993
1993
Alex Haley's Queen

as Parson Dick

1993
1992
Malcolm X

as Eulogy Performer (voice)

1992
Gladiator

as Noah

1991
Jungle Fever

as Reverend Purify

1990
Evening Shade

as Ponder Blue

1990
1989
1989
B.L. Stryker

as Oz Jackson

1988
American Experience

as Self - Harlem Resident

1988
School Daze

as Coach Odom

1986
1986
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories

as Anansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)

1985
Avenging Angel

as Capt. Harry Moradian

1984
Harry & Son

as Raymond

1984
The House of God

as Dr. Sanders

1983
Reading Rainbow

as Self - Narrator (voice)

1980
All God's Children

as Blaine Whitfield

1979
Freedom Road

as Narrator

1979
Hot Stuff

as Captain John Geiberger

1979
1978
King

as Rev. Martin Luther King Sr.

1977
1976
1976
Countdown at Kusini

as Ernest Motapo

1975
Let's Do It Again

as Elder Johnson

1973
Wattstax

as Self (uncredited)

1972
Malcolm X

as Eulogy (voice)

1971
The Sheriff

as James Lucas

1970
Kongi's Harvest

as Narrator

1969
Night Gallery

as Osmond Portifoy

1969
Slaves

as Luke

1969
Sam Whiskey

as Jed Hooker

1969
Teacher, Teacher

as Charles Carter

1968
Hawaii Five-O

as Ramon Borelle

1968
The Scalphunters

as Joseph Lee

1967
The Outsider

as Lt. Wagner

1967
Black Liberation

as Narrator

1966
A Man Called Adam

as Nelson Davis

1965
Run for Your Life

as Frankie Morton

1965
Run for Your Life

as Sgt. Dave Corbett

1965
Run for Your Life

as Dave Corbett

1965
The Hill

as Jacko King

1964
12 O'Clock High

as Major Glenn Luke

1964
Shock Treatment

as Capshaw

1963
The Cardinal

as Father Gillis

1963
1963
The Fugitive

as Lt. Johnny Gaines

1963
Gone Are the Days!

as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson

1962
Hands of Inge

as Narrator (voice)

1961
1961
The Defenders

as Officer Bond

1961
The Defenders

as District Attorney

1961
The Defenders

as Assistant District Attorney

1961
The Defenders

as District Attorney Daniel Jackson

1960
John Brown's Raid

as Dangerfield Newby

1959
Bonanza

as Sam Davis

1956
Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter

1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame

as Charles Carter

1951
Fourteen Hours

as Cab Driver (uncredited)

1950
No Way Out

as John Brooks (uncredited)

1947
Kraft Television Theatre

as The Emperor Jones